Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1887-12-02

backed up to the stout stake, my hands
and feet tied to it by strips of green hide,
and then they were ready to begin bust
ness. | saw them getting their knives
and tomahawks ready to throw at me,
and in my desperation and despair rallied
out at them, speaking the first words
since my capture. I reviled and cursed
them and dared them to do their worst,
and while 1 was speaking the sub-chief
who was the head of the village and whose
name was Spotted Horse, threw up his
arms and fell back dead''
The chief was no doubt predisposed to
heart disease. He had been in the saddle
for six or seven hours, laboring under q
keen excitement all the time, and it needed
only the increased excitement brought on
by the hunters denunciation to precipi-
tate the fatal stroke That the Indians
considered it an act of divine vengeance
was plain in a moment. 1t was scarcely
known that he was dead before Tom was
united and conducted back to the lodge,
and the village at once went into mourn
ing.
sit was two days before they buried
him." said Tom, S'and meanwhile 1 was
well treated but closely guarded. On the
third day L was taken out again. L had
heard the reds discussing the matter from
all standpoints. Some contended that
was an evil spirit, and if not permitted to
depart would work them some terrible
calamity, while others argued that must
be burned and my ashes scattered to the
winds to propitiate the evil one Those
who held to the latter opinion were in the
majority. I was not to be tortured, but
burned alive.''
He was tied to the same stake, and the
tc hoono6 I1,f net
they were being lighted he broke out in
fierce raillery again. His words affected
the whole crowd, but he would no doubt
have persisted had not nature come to his
aid. The hush which had fallen upon the
village was broken by a far off roar, and a
moment later a cyclone swept into the
valley from the east like raging lion. 1t
came and was gone in sixty seconds, and
sad wreck was left behind. Every lodge
was down and many of them carried
away, while many of the people We're
hurt, and two children killed outright by
falling limbs and flying debris.
81 never saw Indians lose their heads
as those chaps did, said old Tom. II
was left quite alone for the next quarter
of an hour, while those who had escaped
unhurt were running about in a childish
way, 1t was just growing dusk when an
Indian pony was led up to the stake by
the head chief in person. was cut loose
by warrior, lifted upon the pony by two
others, and told by the chief that was at
liberty to go. [ was too dazed to under
stand, but they gave the horse slap and
away we went. For the next ten minutes
was no better than an idiot or crazy man,
but my senses finally returned and saw
through it. They regarded me as an evil
spirit and wanted to get rid of me. My
rifle was strapped to the saddle, as was
every other article they had taken from
me, and they had given me one of their
best horses. Inside of two hours was
back at our camp, but only to find the
party gone. They had become alarmed
and moved about thirty miles up the
stream, where 1 found them next day."
Tom not only had the Comanche out
fit to prove the truth of what he said, but
the next year, when the chiefs of the tribe
held powwow with government COM
mission, the entire story was told anew by
the Indians, and many inquiries were
made as to what had become of the white
mans devil-New York Sun.